MOLINE, Ill. – Alec Michaelson (Willowbrook HS, Lombard, Ill.) scattered 10 hits over seven innings Sunday and picked up his fourth win in as many decisions, as Augustana defeated Illinois Wesleyan 6-4 at Swanson Stadium/Brunner Field. Coach Greg Wallace's club improved to 19-5 on the year and 11-5 in the CCIW, while the Titans dropped to 15-12 overall and 10-5 in the league.
 
After leaving the bases loaded in the bottom of the second, Augustana broke through against IWU starter Dan Trudeau in the third. Michael Gattuso (St. Charles North HS, St. Charles, Ill.) led off with a single to center, but was erased on Alex Simon's (Hinsdale Central HS, Naperville, Ill.) fielder's choice grounder to short. Mitchell Owens (Moline HS, Moline, Ill.) was hit by a Trudeau offering and Brett Benedetti (Cherry Creek HS, Greenwood Village, Colo.) followed with a two-run triple over the head of Titan center fielder Will Kafer. Nick Watson came on in relief and kept the score at 2-0.
 
IWU strung together three straight seeing-eye singles off Michaelson to plate a run in the fourth and tied it with a run in the fifth. Dan Cerniglia and Evan Ranneklev reached on infield hits and Jared Mutter drove in Cerniglia with an RBI single to center.
 
The Vikings left runners at second and third in the bottom of the fifth and Michaelson left Titans stranded at first and third in the top of the sixth.
 
Chase Maifield (Grant HS, Round Lake, Ill.) ripped a double to left center leading off the Augustana sixth. It looked like Watson would get out of the inning when he retired the next two batters, but Zachary Vrbancic (Stagg HS, Palos Hills, Ill.) reached on a throwing error, with Maifield coming around from second to score the go-ahead run.
 
Owens' leadoff double off the center field fence sparked a three-run Viking seventh. They benefitted from another error, three wild pitches and a passed ball in the frame and extended the lead to 6-2. Matt Helms (Palatine HS, Paltaine, Ill.) had an RBI single.
 
John Hayes (Cherry Creek HS, Greenwood Village, Colo.) came out of the Augustana bullpen to start the eighth. IWU touched him for a run in the eighth and another in the ninth—the first two earned runs the Viking closer has allowed this year—but he got Eric Burgh to fly to Helms in right to end the game, leaving the potential tying runs on base.
 
Michaelson (4-0) walked one and fanned five in a seven-inning stint. Watson (1-1) took the loss despite not giving up an earned run in 3 1/3 innings.
 
Helms finished 3-for-4 with a run scored and one driven in. Owens went 2-for-3, reached twice on hit-by-pitch and scored two runs.
 
Wallace's club is back in action on Wednesday, April 21, hosting Millikin in a 5:00 p.m. single game at Swanson/Brunner.